What Are You Reading: September 2015

[Sacramento Public Library]

Summer reading is over and you know what that means. It's time for fall reading! What are you reading right now? Share below and help someone else find their next great read!

[Allie]

Just started The Haunted by Jessica Verday. Her books are quick reads, so I expect to finish in the next day or so and then start the third in the series.

[Ivy]

I'm starting Stephen King's Finders Keepers. I'm excited to read As If, the telling of how Clueless was made.

[Julie]

I started Red girl Blue boy --romance with politics

[Susan]

I am finishing up The Canterbury Sisters and will be starting Born to Run. They are showing the movie on the 21st so I need to have read the book first!

[David]

Just started The Invisible Ring 4th book in the Black Jewels "Trilogy".

[Brendle]

I finished up Americanah last week and would recommend it highly. Some folks in the book group weren't as enamored of it, but I liked getting a new perspective on the world. I will also say that the book led to one of our most spirited discussions of the year so if you are looking for something for your book group check it out.

Now I'm reading/planning to read a few other things all of which are very different. Over the weekend I read The Mask by Taylor Stevens which I recommend for thriller and suspense readers. At present I am reading a book that I probably would ditch if it weren't book 3 in a series. Somewhere along the way, the author seems to have forgotten that a plot is more than just having her characters move around & talk to different people. Up next is a contemporary romance from Lisa Kleypas Brown Eyed Girl that I cannot wait to read.

[Julie]

I am now reading the rules of 50/50 chances ..so far it's good

[Susan]

Really enjoying The Rosie Project right now. Have Uprooted to read for this month's challenge and Dying for a Date for my mystery book club. I am enjoying the variety. I seem to get stuck in a rut so this is nice.

[Teresa]

Finally finished Between the world and me. Interesting, lyrical poetic writer with such passion. He's making me think about who I am and what I am. Between the world and me followed The Rosie Project which was a light frothy read and The Rosie Project followed Hyperbole and a half which is a quirky view book, a graphic novel of undetermined portions. All in all, a confusing sea of books.

[Chip]

"Die Trying" by Lee Child - the second book in his Jack Reacher series. These are good "popcorn" books - a light entertainment for when I don't feel like tackling anything more challenging. (Lots of stressful stuff going on right now.)

[Karisa]

Reading The Martian (I know, late to the party)... Also finished Jackaby (terrific fun), Uprooted (amazing modern folktale), and Ink and Bone (supernatural adventure:What if the library at Alexandria was still around?)...

[Susan]

Karisa wrote: "Reading The Martian (I know, late to the party)... Also finished Jackaby (terrific fun), Uprooted (amazing modern folktale), and Ink and Bone (supernatural adventure:What if the library at Alexandr..."

I haven't read The Martian yet. Sure hope to before the movie comes out!

I zoomed through Girl in the Spiders Web and The Bourbon Kings, (both so good!)and am now reading My Year of Running Dangerously.

[John]

It's been a while since I last posted here so I've got some catching up to do.

--"Starship Troopers" (last read in August): So-so, the so-called controversial political/social viewpoints seemed dated (it was written in the late 50s).

--"The Man in the High Castle"--Philip K. Dick won the Hugo for this in 1962. An alternate history in which the Allies lost WW II and the US is split between militaristic Germany and philosophical Japan; an exploration of "real" reality vs. "artificial" reality. Good book.

--"X" by Sue Grafton. As Grafton's Alphabet Mysteries near "Z" they just get better and better. Great characterization is a hallmark of Grafton's books (keep an eye on Kinsey's new neighbors in "X"). Highly recommended. I'm not an avid mystery reader, but this is one series I've read since the beginning.

--"Kitty Steals the Show", by Carrie Vaughn. Good, but one of the weaker entries in the series. The plot isn't terribly suspenseful.

--"Kitty Rocks the House": Definitely better and a rare look at the inner workings of the Denver werewolf pack and vampire family. Still, one has the impression that this story could have been placed anywhere among the last five books in the series.

--"Kitty Saves the World": Last (?) of Vaughn's Kitty Norville series. Story lines are wrapped up, various characters get their rewards or comeuppances. Vaughn avoided what a lot of authors have done when reaching the end of a series by producing a much bulkier final volume (even J. K. Rowling is somewhat guilty of this). There's a tradeoff, however, as there's one major plot line that's dropped halfway through the book and vital characters seem to disappear offstage from time to time. Nevertheless, a satisfactory end to the series. One does experience a bit of loss at bidding good-bye to several favorite characters, and when Grafton reaches "Z is for whatever" it'll probably provoke the same reaction. Not everything is wrapped up tidily, however. A few plot threads still dangle, so maybe we haven't seen the last of Kitty, Cormac, Ben, Rick, and the other supernaturals of Denver.

And now, on to Mary Roberts Rinehart's "The Bat" in audio, and "Polaris," by Jack McDevitt in print.